Cambridge City Council
Cambridge City Council Begins Hiring Process for Next City Manager
The Cambridge City Council’s Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee began the process of hiring a new city manager at a meeting Tuesday morning.
City Council Votes to Terminate Contracts With Companies Allegedly Violating Human Rights, Drawing Criticism from Harvard Jewish Leaders
The Cambridge City Council voted to end its contract with companies that “perpetuate violations of International Human Rights Laws” during a Tuesday meeting that followed more than seven hours of public comment the previous day.
‘A Real Power Imbalance’: Conflict Within Cambridge City Government
On May 11, during an otherwise ordinary meeting of the Finance Committee, a dispute erupted between the Cambridge city manager and a city councilor. Disputes like this are common as the balance of power has shifted toward the former in recent decades.
Cambridge Councilor’s Police Demilitarization Proposal Sparks Debate Among Politicians, Activists
The Cambridge City Council earlier this month rejected a policy order on police demilitarization proposed by Councilor Quinton Y. Zondervan that sparked bitter debate among both activists and politicians in Cambridge.
Pedestrian Suffers Serious Injuries in Memorial Drive Crash on Monday
A driver struck a pedestrian on Memorial Drive near Dunster House around 9 p.m. Monday, resulting in serious injuries to the pedestrian.
A ‘Financial Vaccine’: Cambridge Launches Guaranteed Income Pilot Program
Cambridge will pilot a guaranteed income program, doling out $500 no-strings-attached monthly payments to 120 eligible, low-income families for 18 months starting in August.
Missing Middle Housing Petition Seeks To Allow for More Multi-Family Housing Construction in Cambridge
A new affordable housing proposal, titled the "Missing Middle Housing Petition,” has ignited debate over the role of single-family homes in Cambridge.
Local Vaccine Supply Shortages Continue to Hamper Cambridge as Rollout Continues
Cambridge Chief Public Health Officer Claude Jacob said local vaccination efforts remain hampered by supply shortages, despite federally run sites having recently received more doses.
Proposed Mass. Bill Would Make PILOT Payments Mandatory for Harvard, Other Institutions
The Massachusetts House is considering a bill that would make the previously optional payments which supplanted city property taxes for nonprofits such as Harvard mandatory.
City Council Mourns Shooting Death of Cambridge Resident in Monday Meeting
The City Council marked the beginning of its Monday meeting with a moment of silence for Xavier Louis-Jacques, a 19-year-old Cambridge resident who was fatally shot Saturday morning near the Rindge baseball field and basketball courts.
Despite Statewide Move to Phase 4, Cambridge Will Remain in Current Reopening Phase
Cambridge will remain in Phase Three of its reopening plan despite the state’s decision to move forward to Phase Four on March 22, Cambridge Chief Public Health Officer Claude Jacob announced Monday.
City Council Votes to Ban Tear Gas, Order Reinstating Indoor Dining Restrictions Fails
Tear gas has not been deployed in Cambridge since the 1970s, and while the Cambridge Police Department currently does not possess tear gas or authorize the use of it, the department does not explicitly ban it either.
Tension at City Hall as Council Discusses Tear Gas Ban
Several Cambridge city councilors said they were frustrated with the delayed response from the city’s legal department regarding a total tear gas ban at a Monday meeting.
College and Kennedy School Alumna Theodora Skeadas ’12 Announces Cambridge City Council Bid
Skeadas — who earned a master’s in public policy from the Kennedy School in 2016 — considered a run in 2017 but opted instead to helm the successful council campaign for current Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui. Now launching her own candidacy, Skeadas said that her passion for organizing and for the city itself compelled her to run for office.
Cambridge City Council Advances Petition Proposing Investment in Affordable Housing, Infrastructure in Alewife
Cambridge City Council advanced a zoning amendment for the Alewife neighborhood to the next round of consideration and received yet another update on the Covid-19 vaccine rollout at a March 1 meeting.
City Councilors Frustrated By Delays in Campaign Finance Reform
Cambridge City Councilors voiced their frustration over a months-long delay in addressing two amendments to campaign finance regulations at an Ordinance Committee meeting Monday.
Conscious of Covid-19 Variants, Cambridge Moves Forward with Vaccination and Phased Reopening
Amid Cambridge’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign and phased reopening, city officials urged the public to remain vigilant against the spread of virus variants during a Monday City Council meeting.
Harvard Is the City of Cambridge’s Largest Employer — For 32nd Time in 35 Years
For the twenty-first consecutive year, Harvard University has been named the largest employer in the City of Cambridge.
Cambridge City Council Moves to Decriminalize Psychedelic Drugs, Use of Other Controlled Substances
The Cambridge City Council passed legislation last week seeking to decriminalize the use, possession, and distribution of entheogenic plants, the latest in a series of steps toward more comprehensive decriminalization in Cambridge and Massachusetts.
Despite Vaccine Shortage, Cambridge Proceeds with Phased Reopening
In an update to the City Council on Monday, Cambridge officials announced that the city is moving forward with its reopening plans, despite an ongoing vaccine supply shortage in the city.
Cambridge Vaccine Rollout Limited by Statewide Supply Shortages
Cambridge began vaccinating residents 75 or older at the beginning of February as it entered the next phase of its Covid-19 vaccination program, though statewide and national vaccine shortages continue to hamper its rollout.
Facing Pandemic Challenges, City Council Votes to Rent Non-Congregate Homeless Shelter Space
Cambridge City Councilors passed a proposal to rent non-congregate housing for the city’s unhoused population and received an update on the Covid-19 vaccine rollout during a Wednesday meeting.
In Annual Report to the City, Harvard Highlights Its Outreach to Local Residents During Pandemic
Harvard representatives outlined sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and resident outreach initiatives during the annual Town Gown report to Cambridge.
Housing Advocates Urge Cambridge Residents to Endorse Non-Congregate Shelters at Upcoming City Council Meeting
In advance of the Cambridge City Council meeting on Monday, a group of housing advocates distributed flyers to more than 1,200 households on Sunday urging residents to give public comment in support of “non-congregate” shelters.